Connector for elastomer printing band



Jan. 25, 1966 E. G. PERIAN 3,230,878

CONNECTOR FOR ELASTOMER PRINTING BAND Filed Sept. 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 7 INVENTOR.

E' 0 WAEDG. PEE/AN H/s A rroeusv Jan. 25, 1966 E. G. PERIAN 3,230,878

CONNECTOR FOR ELASTOMER PRINTING BAND Filed Sept. 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR. FowneaG. PER/AN fUflltd States Patent 92 9 1 CONNECTQR FOR ELASTOMER PRINTING BAND Edward G. Perian, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The Pannier Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 311,858

6 Claims. (Cl.'101377) This invention relates generally to expansible printing bands for stretched and interlocked mounting on annular seats on a rotary printing drum and more particularly to an elastomer e'xpansible printing band made integrally annular by attachment of its ends.

' Continuous annular expandible elastomer printing bands .are illustrated in copending application Serial No. 491,185, filed February 23, 1961, now US. Patent No. 3,119,329. These printingbands are molded as an in- A tegral band and must be stretched to be slipped over the i'series of radial flanges defining the printing band seats on the printing drum. When the drum seats are filled with bands the printing roll is in readiness to operate.

Itfi diflicult to stretch these integrally formed printingbands and place them on their seats as each band is approximately one inch wide and the tinplate or other rriaterial'to be marked may be from four to six feet wide. -Thus evenwith special-devices to maintain the printing bands stretched while sliding over the parallel grooves in the' roll makes it difficult to apply and to replace these continuous printing bands after one has been worn or broken. I

-'-This difficulty was solved by the use of fastening means vulcanized in the ends of a strip that'rnay be fitted into its seat and then stretched to form the attachment in situ. After having its ends attached to produce an annular ring and completely seated, the printing ring is still under tension which causes it to grasp the seat and maintain the transverse locking lugs to interlock as gear teeth in-the transverse 'slots in the annular seats of the drum. In this manner the bands retained against relative rotary movement by the locking lugs and relative axial movement of=the drum by the annular radial flanges forming "the slots 'that divide the adjacent seats along the drum length. The base of each printing band is stepped along -'both marginal edges to overlie these seat dividing flanges "onthe drum and to'engage'with the adjacent printing band 'to provide continuous lateralas well as annular printing. In this respect the continuous as well as the attach- Iable printing bands may produce the same printing designs. The problem here is to not only provide the fastener -to join the ends of the elastomer but to provide a continuous design after the ends are joined in a single band on thedrum. This is accomplished by requiring the elastomer-to be stretched to fasten its ends together and the design formedon the elastomer when made will mate at its ends and the stretch completes the design across the abutting ends.

It is an important-factor of this invention to keep the socket clean of rubber or other elastomer when the socket is molded in the end of the elastomer. If the material seeps in it will 'fill the teeth of the socket and will prevent the tongue from being inserted or fill and block the teeth making it impossible for the tongue from being inserted or preventing the teeth from catching. To prevent this, the socket was devised with four sections, the first a mold supporting section or lip that is clamped in the mold to'hold the socket in place. The second section is the bottom of the socket and has upwardly extending marginal flanges to close the sides of the socket. The top section is next to the bottom section and the last or inturned end section carries the teeth that interlock with 3,230,878 Patented Jan. 25, 1966 "ice the teeth on the tongue and is folded in between the top and bottom sections and closed on the sides by the marginal flanges to prevent the elastomer upon molding from entering in the socket. To insure entry of the plastic during molding the flanges may be welded or soldered to the top section or the flanges may be made long enough to fold over the top section but not overlap each other. The band between the bottom and top sections at the inner end of the socket should not have holes or the rubber will force its way into the socket.

The problem of leakage of the plastic at the mouth of the socket issolved by leaving a lip or section to support the socket in the mold which when clamped in place se curely holds the mouth of the socket sealed against the mold wall. In this manner the socket is kept clear of plastic and may function to receive the tongue to lock the printing band in place on its seat. With the four lugs 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the drum seat and with parts broken away.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line '33 of FIG. 1 showing the drum seat with the printing band thereon and with parts broken away.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken longitudinally of the drum showing the lateral cooperation of adjacent bands.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a socket partially formed.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a folded socket.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a folded socket with its sides flanges secured as by welding.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing the tongue and socket held in the ends of a mold.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings the expansible elastomer printing bands are indicated at 10 and their ends have been fastened together to form complete bands or rings and are mounted'on the printing drum 11. This drum has a cylindrical portion 12 provided with the spaced annular grooves or seats 13 separated by the continuous radial flanges 14 and at-the drum ends by the flanges 15.

The cylinder 12 is hollow and has a stepped bore 16 at each end in which is secured a set of discs 17 and 18 for carrying the cylinder'on the stepped shaft 20 for the purpose of rotatably supporting the drum 11 in suitable bearings. This drum is preferably driven so that the peripheral speed of the printing bands is in synchronism with the lineal speed of the strip or sheet in which it is in engagement to print the same. Thus the drum 11 is secured relative to the shaft 20 by means of the discs 17 and 18 as by welding as indicated at 21 in FIGS. 2 and 4.

As illustrated in the sectional view of FIG.'4 the printing band 10 has a base section 22, the bottom of which engages the seat 13 and the top of which supports the upstanding indicia 23 which in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 represents a hexagonal honeycomb. On the lateral faces of the bands that portion 24 of the indicia 23 of each band makes up the complete mark. Thus each band may support half of a single printing line. In this manner the printing bands cooperate laterally with each other.

It will also be noted that the base 22 of the printing band is provided with the lateral shoulders 25 which overlie and have complete support on the peripheral surface of the annular flanges 14 that define the seats 13 on the drum 11. Substantially half of the thickness of the base of the elastomer printing bands engage each other as indicated at 25 in FIG. 4, thus providing lateral support from one band to another along the drum. The flanges 25 on each side of each band are fully supported by the cylindrical surfaces of the radial flanges'14 on the drum, so every part of the printing band is supported or backed by the drum 11.

Each printing band is provided with a plurality of lugs or teeth 27 disposed transversely of the base and which interlock in the transverse grooves 28 cut across the bottom of the seats 13. These interengaging teeth prevent each printing band from slipping around the drum. In this manner the bands are held on the drum so that they may properly cooperate with each other in printing a continuous lateral and longitudinal design along a moving strip of steel, tin plate, cloth or paper.

The bands are made in fiat molds as shown in FIG.

10. The mold 30 has a bottom half 31 and a top 32 and is split along the line 33 with the cavity at 34. This mold is preferably made as a multiple mold memher, only one portion of which is shown. The other mold cavities are beyond that shown in FIG. 10 and the gates for changing and alternating the air, when required, may be in the center and ends, but are not shown.

The elastomer printing bands are formed flat and the split molds hold the metal tongue 35 that is a fiat strip with two or more openings 36 around which the clastomer is molded. The other end of this tongue has a series of at least four upwardly and inwardly struck teeth 37 that are retained in the hollow portion 38 of the die or mold 39. Thus part of the tongue is clamped by the mold halves to retain it in proper position while the material is injected into the mold. The mold halves clamp tightly on the intermediate portion of the tongue and on both sides of the teeth. These mold parts are relieved to receive the tongue and still tightly clamp on the same to prevent the elastomer from leaking out the mold and filling around the teeth 37.

The metal socket 40 is provided with a mold support section 41, a bottom section 42 of the socket with upturned marginal flanges 49 and a next and top section 43. A And a last and inturned end section 44' which when folded along 45 against the top section 43 forms the in FIGS. 7' and 8 they may be folded over the top section 43, but they are not intended to meet, but only to hold the assembly and close the holes at the ends of the bends 45 and 46 to prevent the elastomer from entering the socket. The mouth 50 of thesocket formed by the front ends of the flanges 49 and the told 45 are in one plane and when the mold support section 41 is inserted in the alleviated portion 51. The mouth 50 is seated tightly against the end wall of the die 30 so no' elastomer can enter the socket here. Thus the mold of 'FIG. lO'with the tongue 35 and socket 40 in place is ready to receive the elastomer.

As shown in FIG. 8 the socket of FIG. 7 is completely folded. As shown in FIG. 9 the flanges 52 are made shorter than the flanges 49 and the edges of these flanges are either soldered or welded to the top 'section and top of the socket when the top is folded along 46. This at the bends and 46 as indicated to prevent any seepage of elastomer into the socket.

After molding the elastomer on the tongue and socket and removing the same from the mold, the mold support section 41 of the socket is cut off so as to present a smooth face on the end of the elastomer permitting it to match along the line 53 as seen in FIG. 5. When the tongue 35 is inserted in the mouth of the socket and the ends of the elastomer abutting each other will become slightly deformed so that the teeth 37 of the tongue 35 will pass the teeth 47 of the socket 40 and when released as illustrated in FIG. 5 will form a complete band which is with the elastomer engaging along the line 53. After the ends of the elastomer have been interengaged, it is practically impossible to remove them without destroying the band. However, the band may be removed from the drum by stretching .the same in a manner as though the band were made as one integral ring.

The fastening members forming this expansible' elastomer printing band make these bands more readily and quickly adaptable to the drum. If one were to break or become worn, making it desirable to renew the same, the band may be stretched, and removed ,from the drum or it may merely be stretched and .cut to be removed from the drum and a new band replaced, without losing much time which is an important factor of the improvement of this invention.

Frequently the printing bands are exposed to diiferent chemicals and it is desirable at times to select different types of metals for the tongue 35 and the socket member 40, and in order to avoid corrosion or eating of the metal it may be coated before being molded into the elastomer. 7

This simple fastening means forming a continuous band saves considerable expense and time in originally mounting and replacing expansible elastomer printing bands on the drum which saves a considerable, cost in the production in which the printer is employed.

I claim:

1. Expansible elastomer printing bands for stretched and interlocked mounting on annular seats on a rotary printing drum to cooperate with each other in printing longitudinal and lateral designson a continuously moving strip, and which consists of a rotary drum having annular seats with transverse grooves, an elastomer having a base with transverse lugs to fit and interlock on the drum seats and carry a printing surfa e, a metal tongue secured in and projecting from one end of said.

elastomer, a plurality of upwardly and inwardly projecting teeth on said tongue, a metal socket securedin .the opposite end of said elastomer, a plurality of downwardly and inwardly projecting teeth in said socket for mating in interlocking engagement with the teeth of said tongue to complete the annular printing band and to permit the elasticity of the elastomer to tightly grasp the drum seat, the metal parts of said tongue and socket flexingto interlock the teeth and prevent their coming apart to hold the band under tension when on the drum seat, the ends of the elastomer limit the insertion of the tongue and the printing surface'at the ends of the elastomer cooperating to complete the annular design.

2. Expansible elastomer printing bands for stretched and interlocked mounting on annular seats on arotary printing drum to cooperate with each other in printing longitudinal and lateral designs on a continuously moving strip,and which consists of a rotary drum having annular seats with transverse grooves, an elastomer having a base with transverse lugs to fit and interlock on the drum seats and'carry a printing surface, a metal tongue secured in and projecting from one end of said elastomer, a plurality of upwardly and inwardly projecting teethon said tongue, a metal socket securedin the opposite end of said elastomer, a plurality of downwardly and inwardly projecting teeth in said socket for mating in interlocking'engagernent with the teeth of said tongue seat, the metal parts of said tongue and socket flexing to interlock the teeth and prevent their coming apart to hold the band under tension when on the drum seat, the ends of the elastomer limiting the insertion of the tongue and the printing surface at the ends of the elastomer cooperating to complete the annular design, said metal socket having four consecutive sections, a section to support the socket for securement in the end of the elastomer, a bottom section with upturned marginal flanges, a top scetion and an inturned end section carrying the socket teeth, a fold between each of the last three sections disposing the socket teeth downwardly and inwardlyabove said bottom section and between the upturned marginal flanges and covered by the top section, the section to support the socket for securement in the end of the elastomer having been cut ofif after the socket is secured in the elastomer.

3. The expansible elastomer printing bands of claim 2 wherein the upturned marginal flanges are secured to said top section to box in and close the same.

4. The expansible elastomer printing bands of claim 3 wherein the upturned marginal flanges are secured to said top section by being formed over said top section to box in and close the same.

5. The expansible elat somer printing bands of claim 3 wherein the upturned marginal flanges are secured to said top section edges to box in and close the same.

6. Expansible elastomer printing bands for use in printing on a continuously moving strip, each band consists of uniformly matched elastomer section having a base carrying a printing surface and their ends being the same length, a rotary drum having a cylindrical seat to receive said bands, said drum being materially greater in length than the Width of a band, a plurality of transverse grooves axially of said cylindrical drum seat, a plurality of transverse lugs on the base of said bands to mate in interlocking engagement with said grooves and prevent said bands from rotating on said seat, a toothed socket secured in and opening from one end of each band, and a mating toothed tongue secured in and extending from the other end of each band and when inserted in its corresponding socket limits the insention of the tongue and attaches the elastomer ends in mating printing engagement to form a continuous printing band, said socket and tongue permitting each band to be stretched around said seat with said lugs in engagement with said transverse grooves and fasten together to interlock said printing bands on said drum and provide selective annular and lateral cooperative printing of their separate printing surfaces across the fastened joint and to adjacent printing hands over said drum surf-ace, selected of said bands removable therefrom by stretching and cutting the elastomer.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,071,527 8/1913 Pannier 101376 1,804,725 5/1931 Walker 24-20 2,499,717 3/1950 Bolinger 2-321 2,803,504 8/1957 Lynch 198-193 X 2,943,567 7/ 1960 Pannier 101377 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Examiner. 

1. EXPANSIBLE ELASTOMER PRINTING BANDS FOR STRETCHED AND INTERLOCKED MOUNTING ON ANNULAR SEATS ON A ROTARY PRINTING DRUM TO COOPERATE WITH EACH OTHER IN PRINTING LONGITUDINAL AND LATERAL DESIGNS ON A CONTINUOUSLY MOVING STRIP, AND WHICH CONSISTS OF A ROTARY DRUM HAVING ANNULAR SEATS WITH TRANSVERSE GROOVES, AN ELASTOMER HAVING A BASE WITH TRANSVERSE LUGS TO FIT AND INTERLOCK ON THE DRUM SEATS AND CARRY A PRINTING SURFACE, A METAL TONGUE SECURED IN AND PROJECTING FROM ONE END OF SAID ELASTOMER, A PLURALITY OF UPWARDLY AND INWARDLY PROJECTING TEETH ON SAID TONGUE, A METAL SOCKET SECURED IN THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID ELASTOMER, A PLURALITY OF DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY PROJECTING TEETH IN SAID SOCKET FOR MATING IN INTERLOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TEETH OF SAID TONGUE TO COMPLETE THE ANNULAR PRINTING BAND AND TO PERMIT THE ELASTICITY OF THE ELASTOMER TO TIGHTLY GRASP THE DRUM SEAT, THE METAL PARTS OF SAID TONGUE AND SOCKET FLEXING TO INTERLOCK THE TEETH AND PREVENT THEIR COMING APART TO HOLD THE BAND UNDER TENSION WHEN ON THE DRUM SEAT, THE ENDS OF THE ELASTOMER LIMIT THE INSERTION OF THE TONGUE AND THE PRINTING SURFACE AT THE ENDS OF THE ELASTOMER COOPERATING TO COMPLETE THE ANNULAR DESIGN. 